Quote Originally Posted by herefishy View Post
I would think it would be easier to pack the wraps if you varnished the blank first so they would slip a little more freely - the one bamboo I did I waited and did all the varnishing at the end and I had trouble moving the thread on the unfinished blank. Also I had trouble actually turning the six sided blank as opposed to the round one to wind the thread on - is there a solution to that? Very nice looking rod, too.
Packing the threads is easy on a graphite rod is easy because the blank is very smooth. If a bamboo blank is sanded smooth, it is also easy to pack the threads.
Some people wrap first, some people varnish first.

As far as turning the hex shaped blank while wrapping, your wrapper will determine how easy it is. If you wrap with the blank in a steep angled groove, it will be harder to turn anything that is not round.
My wrapper isn't a "V" shape, it's more rounded where the blank rests. Hex shaped blanks feel a little bumpy, but not bad at all.